**Acknowledgement**

This research was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), through a post-doctoral fellowship (SFRH/BPD/63433/2009) and a project (HC/0075/2009), as well as the European Community's Programme "Structuring the European Research Area", under Synthesis at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC) or Real Jardín Botánico. Thanks are due to Fernando Correia for the single authorization use of the Mediterranean monk seal illustration in the figure composition (authorship and © by Fernando Correia). The author would also like to thank her colleagues and friends Inês Carvalho, Cristina Picanço, Nuno Gaspar de Oliveira and Vitor Hugo, for helping in parts of this investigation, and her family members Nazaré Rocha, Armando Taborda, Susana Brito, Celso Pinto and Rafaela Maia, for embarking along in this scientific journey away from the shores of marine biology to the new world of maritime history.

Portuguese Sealing and Whaling Activities as Contributions

to Understand Early Northeast Atlantic Environmental History of Marine Mammals 221

[16] Tingley MW & Beissinger SR (2009) Detecting range shifts from historical species occurrence: new perspectives on old data. *Trends in Ecology and Evolution*, 24: 625-633. [17] Brito C & Vieira N (2010) Using historical accounts to assess the occurrence and distribution of small cetaceans in a poorly known area. *Journal of the Marine Biological* 

[18] Vieira N & Brito C (2009) Past and recent sperm whale sightings in the Azores based on catches and whale watching information. *Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the* 

[19] Silva MA, Brito C, Santos SV & Barreiros JP (2009) Occurrence of pinnipeds in the Archipelago of the Azores: a checklist since Discovery until Present. *Mammalia*, 73: 60-

[20] Reeves R, Stewart BS, Clapham PJ & Powell JA (eds) (2002) *National Audubon Society* 

[21] Gilmartin WG & Forcada J (2009) Monk seals: *Monachus monachus, M. tropicalis, M. schauinslandi*. in W.F. Perrin and J.G.M. Thewissen (eds), *Encyclopedia of Marine* 

[22] Johnson W (2000) Sayings of 3000 Years: Book I, 900 B.C. to 1563 A.D. *The Monachus* 

[23] Johnson W (2001) Sayings of 3000 Years: Book II, 1601 A.D. to 2000 A.D. *The Monachus* 

[24] Almaça C (1998) *Baleias, Focas e Peixes-Bois na História Natural Portuguesa*. Lisboa: 11-12. [25] Machado AJM (1979) *Os lobos-marinhos (Género Monachus, Fleming 1822), Contribuição* 

[27] Barros J (1932) *Ásia - Dos feitos que os portugueses fizeram no descobrimento e conquista dos* 

[28] Zurara GE (1989) *Crónica dos Feitos da Guiné*. Lisboa: Biblioteca da Expansão Portuguesa,

[29] Larrinoa PF & Cedenilla MA (2003) Human disturbance at the Cabo Blanco monk seal

[30] Forcada J, Hammond PS & Aguilar, A (1999) Status of the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus in the Western Sahara and the implications of a mass mortality

[31] Pires R (2001) Are monk seals recolonizing Madeira island? *The Monachus Guardian*, 4: 1-

[32] Forcada J (2000) Can population surveys show if the Mediterranean monk seal colony at

[33] Cohat Y & Collet A (2001) *Whales: Giants of the seas and oceans*. New York: Harry N.

[34] Jenkins JT (1921) A history of whale fisheries: From the Basque fisheries of the tenth

[35] Reeves RR & Smith TD (2006) A taxonomy of world whaling: Operations and eras. In

Cape Blanco is declining in abundance? *Journal of Applied Ecology*, 37: 171-81.

century to the hunting of the finner whale at the present. London.

*Whales, whaling, and ocean ecosystems*. London: 82-101.

*Association of the United Kingdom*, 90(8): 1583-1588.

*Guide to Marine Mammals of the World.* New York: 150-153.

*United Kingdom*, 89 (5): 1067-1070.

*Mammals*. Oxford: 741–744.

*para o seu conhecimento e protecção.* Madeira.

colony. *The Monachus Guardian*, 6: 1-2.

[26] Frutuoso G (2005) *Saudades da Terra.* Ponta Delgada 19.

event. *Marine Ecology Progress Series*, 188: 249–61.

*mares e terras do oriente. Primeira Década. Livro Primeiro.* Coimbra.

*Guardian*, 3: 1-6.

*Guardian*, 4: 1-8.

62.

15.

3.

Abrams, Inc.
